In Which Jayne Puts 2 & 2 Together and Gets 4
by thekrazysheep
Summary: Nothing comes between Jayne and his beauty sleep any longer than absolutely necessary.


It had been about a week Jayne hadn't really slept. Everyone was starting to notice his extra-surly attitude.

Everytime he closed his eyes and had just started to doze off, the screaming started. The first night he'd thought he was going as bat-shit as crazy. He'd lept out of bed, bare-assed, Boo in his right hand, Binky in his left, ready to do some damage to whoever was making a girl scream that way. But there was nobody in his bunk, no alarms going off on the ship, everything quiet. But when he laid back down, shut his eyes, and was just back to sleep... the screams came again. This pattern repeated itself the rest of the night, though after about the third time he stopped leaping out of bed. By the morning he was red-eyed and felt more than a little deaf.

But by the morning of the sixth day with no sleep, Jayne was more than a little cranky. After breakfast he stomped down to the cargo bay and started lifting weights, hoping to exhaust himself enough that he'd be able to sleep through the screams. It never occured to him to ask any of the other crew for help; though they were starting to get a mite nosy.

As he lifted he could hear the Doc cajoling his _feng le_ sister, "Mei mei, just for a little while, I promise! It won't hurt, I'm just trying to make it better." Jayne heard the girl whimper and start muttering something extra incomprehensible. Seems she dug in her heels after that and wouldn't set foot in the infirmary so the Doc started poking and prodding at her in the common area.

Jayne kept on with his reps, feeling his muscles burn more and more and his brain get foggier and foggier with each one. Finally he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, he cradled the weights and couldn't imagine moving, he was so tired. His eyelids slid shut without a conscious thought and he was out like a light. And then the screams started again. He jolted awake because this time they were a little different, it took his exhaustion foggy brain a bit to catch up but then he realized, he was awake and still hearing the screams. They were coming from the common area which had suddenly become very full of a _feng le_ girl warding off her brother and a needle.

Now, normally, Jayne was all for avoiding the both of them, but if the girl had some answers as to why he couldn't sleep Jayne was more than willing to interrupt.

He stomped into the common room and inserted himself between the doc and his sister. The little _feng le_ girl annoyingly clung immediately to his back, occasionally peeking around underneath his arms to stick her tongue out at her brother.

Jayne spoke, "Now Doc, whyn't you leave the girl alone for once? Her screechin's givin' me a headache. Can't you just give her that shot later?"

Simon sputtered at Jayne while Jayne grabbed the girl by the wrist (she squeeked) and dragged her off up the stairs towards the kitchen.

He sat her down at the table and leaned menacingly towards her, "Girl, I ain't slept in a week, you know why that is?"

River looked up at him a little afraid and shook her head.

"Every time I doze off I hear screamin'. Sounds a lot like those noises you was just makin' at your prissy brother." He cocked an eyebrow at her, "You gonna stop makin' those screamin' noises in my head, causin' me all kinds a pain in the middle of the night? A man could use his damn sleep."

River looked at him, considering, then said, quite normally, "You can HEAR me? But only when you're asleep?"

Jayne gave her a look that clearly said for him 'Did I not just SAY that?'

River immediately looked apologetic and replied, "I'm sorry Jayne, I didn't know anyone could hear me." She bowed her head, "I'll try to keep it ... quieter."

At this she looked about to cry and Jayne, uncharacteristically, felt sorry for her.

"Aw now, none of that little bit. No need to be cryin'. Why you been screamin' anyway? And how come I's the only one can hear ya?"

She sniffled and whispered, "I don't know why you hear me. And they're dreams, dreams of the Academy. I can't remember what they did to me, right and truly, all I remember is the screaming. Screaming in pain and terror. It plays over and over in my head, all the time. Even when I'm awake now. Simon's drugs usually just make it worse, keep me trapped in it. I'm sorry I bothered you."

Her head drooped lower and a louder sniffle came from under all her hair.

Jayne had a rare moment of intelligent thought and did some quick calculations in his head. "That new medicine your brother's been givin' you - he started that 'bout a week ago right?"

River nodded.

Jayne got an angry and purposeful look on his face, rose to his feet, and stormed out of the kitchen, down the hall towards the engine room and turned left down the stairs. River trailed after him. He shoved past the doctor still sputtering in the common room and forced his way into the infirmary.

By this time River had picked up what Jayne was about and from the doorway said, "High in the sky, bottles of green, to far to reach for a little bit."

Jayne found the cabinet with the highest shelf, yanked open the door and saw 2 small green bottles. He grabbed them off the shelf and threw them on the floor, smashing the glass and spilling the contents. Simon by this point was livid and started yelling. River jumped up and down and clapped her hands, beaming at Jayne.

Jayne looked to the Doc and said, "'bout time I get some gorram sleep around here. I'll be in my bunk." He pushed past the Doc and his _feng le_ sister and headed out of the infirmary for his bunk and possibly a nice quiet, scream-free nap.


End file.
